Punjab Govt Challenges HC Order Allowing Private Schools To Charge Full Fees Amid Covid-19 Crisis

Punjab Government in its plea has stated that the single-judge bench has not employed any process to check the "actual expenditure" being incurred by private schools.

File Image

Chandigarh: The Punjab state government has challenged state high court’s order that allows private schools to collect all types of fees from students, which is irrespective of online or offline classes are being conducted by them.  CM Amarinder Singh-led government moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a stay on the order of the single-judge bench “in the interest of justice and fair play”. An official release stated that the Cheif Minister had previously expressed concern over private schools charging fees even when no online or offline classes were held amid Covid-19 lockdown. The matter also come up for discussion at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting and Advocate General Atul Nanda had been directed to move HC for challenging the June-30 order. The plea by state government emphasised that the private schools, despite talking about financial hardship and inability to meet expenditures, had not submitted any evidence to prove their claims. The government’s petition also stated that the judge had completely ignored the fact that the state government had issued orders directing private schools to charge only “tuition fee” (respecting the online classes being conducted), to provide some respite for parents who are also financially struggling due to the coronavirus situation. According to the government, the order does not have any method or process in place to check the “actual expenditure” being incurred by schools while allowing them to charge full fees. Thus, there are practical difficulties in the enforceability and implementation of the impugned order and judgment, it said. “In a similar matter involving a challenge to an identical order issued by the Government of Haryana, a coordinate bench has merely adjourned the case to September without granting any interim relief or otherwise to the private schools of Haryana as of now,” the state government said in its petition. WATCH | Over 8 lakh Covid-19 cases, recovery rate over 62% | Corona top 10